Stories from Deli

Residentie Oostkust van Sumatra as one of the most important outer territories of the Dutch East Indies, its prominence driven largely by the rapid expansion of the Deli tobacco plantations after 1865. Although Medan quickly became the economic and political centre, it was only in 1886 that the residency’s administrative seat formally moved there from Bengkalis.

The Residentiehuis itself became a symbol of this transition. Initially, successive Residents lived in an old, modest house originally built for an assistant-resident. As Medan prospered—and especially after the Sultan of Deli moved into his lavish palace in 1890—this residence came to look outdated and even shabby. It lacked both the prestige and the space required for official receptions and ceremonial functions expected of the highest colonial authority in such a wealthy region.

To remedy this, a new Residentiehuis was commissioned.

• First stone laid: August 1898
• Completed and occupied: February 1901
• Resident at the time: H. A. van der Steenstraten

The new building marked a dramatic contrast with the old house, reflecting Medan’s rise and the enhanced status of colonial governance on the East Coast. Its importance was later commemorated in a large ceramic tile tableau made by the Royal Porcelain Factory Rozenburg in The Hague.